Reversing valve

ABSTRACT

A valve means for reversing the flow of processing fluid through packages of yarn or the like while the packages are mounted on the perforated spindles of a conventional carrier, the latter in turn being contained in a kier or other like treatment vessel. The valve means includes a valve chamber centrally located at the base of the kier. The valve chamber is surrounded by the radially spaced wall of a valve housing and the relationship of these components is such that the upper and lower ends of the valve chamber are in communication respectively with the perforated carrier spindles and the valve housing. The valve housing is in turn in communication with the interior of the kier. Inlet and outlet conduits for the processing fluid extend through the wall of the valve housing into communication with the valve chamber, and a butterfly valve in the valve chamber is adjustable to place the inlet conduit in communication with either the upper or lower end of the valve chamber.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee REVERSING VALVE 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl Int. Cl Field of Search References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1944 Dunnetal. 8/1958 Fick Primary ExaminerDavid J. Williamowsky Assistant Examiner-Andrew V. Kundrat Attorney-Chittick, Pfund, Birch, Samuels & Gauthier ABSTRACT: A valve means for reversing the flow of processing fluid through packages of yarn or the like while the packages are mounted on the perforated spindles of a conventional carrier, the latter in turn being contained in a kier or other like treatment vessel. The valve means includes a valve chamber centrally located at the base of the kier. The valve chamber is surrounded by the radially spaced wall of a valve housing and the relationship of these components is such that the upper and lower ends of the valve chamber are in communication respectively with the perforated carrier spindles and the valve housing. The valve housing is in turn in communication with the interior of the kier. lnlet and outlet conduits for the processing fluid extend through the wall of the valve housing into communication with the valve chamber, and a butterfly valve in the valve chamber is adjustable to place the inlet conduit in communication with either the upper or lower end of the valve chamber.

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REVERSING VALVE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a means for subjecting package material, such as for example spools of yarn or other like filamentary material, to a fluid treatment, and more particularly to an improved valve means for reversing the flow of fluid through the package material.

When subjecting package materials to fluid treatments, in particular, dyeing and bleaching operations, it is highly preferable to provide a reversible substantially uniform radial flow of processing fluid through the packages. Radial flow avoids distortion or damage of the spools which might otherwise occur if the processing fluid were allowed to assume a circumferential flow pattern within the kier. The equipment heretofore employed in such processes has failed to achieve this optimum condition in a manner satisfactory to those skilled in the art.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved means for producing reversible flow of processing fluid through package material, in particular spools of yarn or the like which are being subjected to bleaching or dyeing operations in a kier.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reversing valve mechanism which is arranged in a manner such that radial flow through the package material is always assured.

A further object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved means for reversing the flow of processing fluid through package material contained within a kier, without causing the processing fluid to assume a centrifugal flow pattern.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken through an apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. I; and,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a kier for the treatment of package material which is comprised basically ofa cylindrical wall 12 defining a treatment chamber 147 The kier has a cover 16 hinged as at 18 for movement to an open position as at 16a when gaining access to the treatment chamber. A valve chamber 20 defined by an inner or first wall member 22 is located at the base of the kier. Radially arranged fin members 24 connect the inner wall member 22.to an outer or second wall member 26, the latter forming part of a valve housing generally indicated at 28 surrounding the valve chamber. The outer wall member 26 is enclosed by a bottom member 30 which may if desired be provided with a valved drain as at 32. The inner and outer wall members 22 and 26 are radially spaced to define an annular passageway 34 therebetween.

Inlet and outlet conduits 36 and 38 for the processing fluid extend through the outer wall 26 into communication with oppositely disposed inlet and outlet ports 40 and 42 in the inner wall 22. A butterfly valve member, herein shown as a circular disc 44, is positioned in valve chamber 20 between the oppositely disposed inlet and outlet ports 40 and 42. Valve member 44 is mounted on a transverse shaft 46 which is journaled by means of bearings 48 and 50. The shaft is provided with an operating handle 52 exterior of the valve housing 28, which handle may be actuated by any known means to pivot the valve between one of two operative positions as shown by the solid and broken lines in FIG. 1.

During operation of the apparatus, as when bleaching or dyeing spools of yarn or the like, the spools 54 are axially mounted on the vertically disposed perforated tubular spindles 56 ofa carrier generally indicated by the reference numeral 58. Carrier 58 is comprised ofa base section 60 forming a manifold chamber 62. The vertically disposed tubular spindles 56 are spaced circumferentially around the base 60, and each spindle is in communication at its lower end with the manifold chamber 62. The upper ends of the spindles 56 are in turn removably attached to a top member 64, the latter having a centrally located lifting eye 66 attached thereto. With the kier cover 16 opened as at 16a, the book (not shown) of a conventional lifting device such as an overhead crane may be attached to the eye 66 when lifting or lowering the carrier 58.

The base section 60 of carrier 58 is preferably additionally provided with a downwardly disposed tubular section 68 which fits into the upper end of inner wall member 22 when the carrier is mounted within the kier. Wall member 22 is further provided at its upper end with a radially disposed flange 70 which contacts and supports the underside ofcarrier base 60 as at 72 when the carrier is mounted in place within the kier.

The curved sidewall 74 of base section 60 cooperates with the curved lower section 76 of the kier wall 12 to define a continuation 34a of annular passageway 34. Thus it can be seen that the lower end of the valve chamber 20 is spaced from the bottom member 30 of valve housing 28 and is connected via annular passageway 34 and its extension 34a to the treatment chamber 14 along an annular space 78 which surrounds the upstanding tubular spindles 56. The tubular spindles 56 are in turn connected via the manifold chamber 62 in base 60 to the upper end of the valve chamber 20.

The operation of the apparatus will now be further described with additional reference to the solid and broken arrows in FIG. 1. Once a loaded carrier has been operatively positioned in the kier and the cover 16 has been closed, fluid treatment of the packages or spools .54 may begin with the valve member 44 in either one of the two positions shown in FIG. 1. When the valve is positioned as shown by the solid lines, inlet conduit 36 is placed in communication with the upper end of valve chamber 20, the latter in turn being in communication via manifold chamber 62 with the perforated tubular spindles 56. With this adjustment, the flow of processing fluid is as indicated schematically by the solid arrows. In other words, the fluid initially enters the valve chamber 20 through inlet conduit 26. The processing fluid then flows upwardly through the manifold chamber 62 and tubular spindles S6, and then radially outwardly through the perforations in the spindles and through the spools 54 into the treatment chamber 14. The fluid is then exhausted from treat ment chamber 14 downwardly through annular space 78, passageways 34a and 34 and then upwardly through the lower end of the valve chamber 20, the latter being in communication with outlet port 42 and outlet conduit 38.

When reversal of the flow of processing liquid through the packages is desired, valve member 44 is shifted to the position indicated by the broken lines. Under these conditions, the inlet conduit 36 is now placed in communication with the lower end of valve chamber 20, the upper end of the valve chamber now being in communication with outlet conduit 38. This automatically produces a reverse flow of processing fluid as indicated schematically by the broken arrows.

Having thus described the construction and operation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the advantages to be derived therefrom should now be more apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the valve as sembly has only one moving part, namely the butterfly valve member 44. This valve member may be easily and quickly manipulated while fluid continues to run through the kier. The arrangement of the components is such that radial flow of processing fluid through the spools 54 is always assured. More particularly, when the position of the valve member is such that inlet conduit 36 is in communication with the upper end of the valve chamber, then the processing fluid flows radially out from the perforations in tubular spindles and through the spools. Conversely, when the position of valve member 44 is such that inlet conduit 36 is in communication with the lower end of valve chamber 20, then the processing fluid flows upwardly into the treatment chamber around its circumference through the annular space 78. Once in the chamber, the fluid may only be'removed by radially flowing through the spools and into the perforated tubular spindles 56, the latter being in communication with outlet conduit 38 via manifold chamber 62 and the upper end of the valve chamber.

This overall arrangement discourages circumferential flow of processing fluid in the treatment chamber and thus reduces the possibility of any distortion and/or damages resulting to the spools 54. In this connection, it should further be noted that the circumferentially spaced radial fin members 24 act as guides which direct the flow of processing fluid through passageways 34 and 34a vertically, thus assisting in the uniform distribution offluid flow around the circumference of the kier while simultaneously resisting any tendency of the fluid to assume a circumferential flow pattern.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

1 claim:

1. Apparatus for the fluid treatment of package material comprising in combination: a kier adapted to contain a carrier member, said carrier member having a plurality of perforated circumferentially spaced upstanding spindles on which the packages of material to be treated are vertically mounted; a valve chamber centrally located at the base of said kier; a valve housing surrounding said valve chamber, the upper and lower ends of said valve chamber being in communication respectively with the perforated spindles on said carrier and said valve housing, said valve housing in turn being in communication with the interior of said kier, inlet and outlet conduits for the treatment fluid, said conduits extending through said valve housing into communication with said valve chamber; and, a valve member in said valve chamber, said valve member being adjustable to direct the flow of fluid entering the apparatus through said inlet conduit either to the upper or lower ends of said valve chamber.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve chamber is defined by a first cylindrical wall member and said valve housing is comprised of a second cylindrical wall member, the lower end of which is enclosed by a bottom member, the said first and second wall members being radially spaced to define an annular passageway therebetween, the said bottom member being spaced below the lower end of said first wall member.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base of said carrier member is comprised of a manifold chamber in communication with each said upstanding perforated spindles, the lower end of said manifold chamber terminating in a downwardly disposed tubular extension which is inserted into the upper end of said valve chamber when said carrier member is contained within said kier.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by the manifold chamber on said carrier member being defined by a wall, a portion of said wall being spaced from and parallel to the wall of said kier to thereby define a continuation of the said annular passageway, the said continuation terminating in an annular opening surrounding the vertically disposed perforated spindles on said carrier member,

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized by said inlet and outlet conduits extending through said second wall member into communication respectively with oppositely disposed inlet and outlet ports in said first wall member, the said valve member being adjustably mounted in said valve chamber between said ports.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve member is comprised of a disc mounted for pivotal movement about an axis which extends transversely to a reference line passing through the centers of the oppositely disposed ports in said first wall member.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further characterized by operating means for pivotally adjusting said disc about said axis from a first position wherein the circumferential edge of said disc sealingly engages the interior of said first wall member to thereby place said inlet and outlet ports in communication respectively with the upper and lower ends of said valve chamber, and a second position wherein said disc again sealingly engages the interior of said first wall member, with the inlet and outlet ports thus being in communication respectively with the lower and upper ends of said valve chamber.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by circumferentially spaced fin members in said annular passageway, the said fin members extending radially between said first and second wall members. 

1. Apparatus for the fluid treatment of package material comprising in combination: a kier adapted to contain a carrier member, said carrier member having a plurality of perforated circumferentially spaced upstanding spindles on which the packages of material to be treated are vertically mounted; a valve chamber centrally located at the base of said kier; a valve housing surrounding said valve chamber, the upper and lower ends of said valve chamber being in communication respectively with the perforated spindles on said carrier and said valve housing, said valve housing in turn being in communication with the interior of said kier, inlet and outlet conduits for the treatment fluid, said conduits extending through said valve housing into communication with said valve chamber; and, a valve member in said valve chamber, said valve member being adjustable to direct the flow of fluid entering the apparatus through said inlet conduit either to the upper or lower ends of said valve chamber.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve chamber is defined by a first cylindrical wall member and said valve housing is comprised of a second cylindrical wall member, the lower end of which is enclosed by a Bottom member, the said first and second wall members being radially spaced to define an annular passageway therebetween, the said bottom member being spaced below the lower end of said first wall member.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base of said carrier member is comprised of a manifold chamber in communication with each said upstanding perforated spindles, the lower end of said manifold chamber terminating in a downwardly disposed tubular extension which is inserted into the upper end of said valve chamber when said carrier member is contained within said kier.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by the manifold chamber on said carrier member being defined by a wall, a portion of said wall being spaced from and parallel to the wall of said kier to thereby define a continuation of the said annular passageway, the said continuation terminating in an annular opening surrounding the vertically disposed perforated spindles on said carrier member.
 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized by said inlet and outlet conduits extending through said second wall member into communication respectively with oppositely disposed inlet and outlet ports in said first wall member, the said valve member being adjustably mounted in said valve chamber between said ports.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve member is comprised of a disc mounted for pivotal movement about an axis which extends transversely to a reference line passing through the centers of the oppositely disposed ports in said first wall member.
 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further characterized by operating means for pivotally adjusting said disc about said axis from a first position wherein the circumferential edge of said disc sealingly engages the interior of said first wall member to thereby place said inlet and outlet ports in communication respectively with the upper and lower ends of said valve chamber, and a second position wherein said disc again sealingly engages the interior of said first wall member, with the inlet and outlet ports thus being in communication respectively with the lower and upper ends of said valve chamber.
 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by circumferentially spaced fin members in said annular passageway, the said fin members extending radially between said first and second wall members. 